


Josh Lyman:  Best Friend Files

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s03e22 Posse Comitatus, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-07-15
Updated: 2002-07-15
Packaged: 2019-05-15 11:01:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14789279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: CJ deals with Simon's death.





	Josh Lyman:  Best Friend Files

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

 

Josh Lyman: Best Friend Files-1

Disclaimers: All characters sadly belong to A. Sorkin...but I'll take 'em whenever he doesn't want 'em!

Archive: Wherever....lemme know where, I luv new fanfic sites! :)

Rating: PG

Notes: Bear with me! I've been so0o0 mad since watching the season finale...so I took out my rage on these little projects....any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! Also, you can find the sequel in "Physical Attraction."

On with the show!

~#*~#*~#*

Thursday Night

C.J. shook her head as she stumbled along the streets. She finally sat down on a cold bench and cried- for Simon-if not for him- for what could have been. Had he not gone to that store- she had imagined them talking til late in a crowded New York City bar, and then a walk, and then...no- she wouldn't allow herself to begin to think about dreams that will never come true. She stood, ran a hand across her face, and tried to dry the tears that continued to come.

 

"A-Amy," she said in between sobs as she had franctically dialed Josh's number.

"C.J.? C.J., what's the matter?"

"S-Simon was shot- a-and killed," she said as her body thrusted with her cries.

"Let me get Josh."

C.J. sat on another bench as she heard Amy speak in the background.

"C.J., honey," Josh said as he picked up.

"J-Josh i can't take this!" She slammed her hand against the arm rest as she felt pain rush through her arm.

"C.J.- it'll be ok, it'll be ok."

"J-Josh they'd caught the g-guy...Simon was, he was, at a store and he walked on a rob-robbery," she said as she tried not to picture Simon's death.

"Oh my god..."

She heard him silently curse and then sigh.

"C.J., I'm flying over."

"N-No we'll only be here for one night, J-osh..."

"C.J.- that leaves time for me to be with you. I'll be right over.

"Josh r-really..." she said stumbling as she walked back to the theatre.

"Yes, C.J. really. Go to Toby and Sam. I'll be there soon, sweetheart."

"Ok. T-Thanks Josh."

"No problem C.J. I love you, ok? You're my best friend and I'm gonna come over and be yours."

"Ok," she said feeling reassured for a minute.

"Bye Claudia Jean."

Josh bit his bottom lip as he hung up the phone.

"We're not going to continue this later. I'm finished, Amy. Just don't call me, ok," he said before he took his jacket.

"You can't just leave!"

"Watch me!"

"I knew you always loved her. The glances you two shared, the inside jokes- I should've seen this coming."

"What! you know Amy? I can't believe you could sink so low! To say that, now? She's suffering, Amy. you should know that. Jesus, you've really sunk low," he said before he smirked at her and opened her door.

"Leave now and you're never coming back."

"Who'd want to come back," he said before leaving and slamming the door.

~~~~~~

11:21 p.m.

"Where's C.J.?"

"I don't know- Ron Butterfield took her somewhere," Toby answered.

"There she- oh."

Sam pointed to Toby's right as they both stood as they saw C.J. stumbling and making her way to them.

"C.J.?"

"Simon was at a s-store and was shot-shot and killed ina robbery," she said as she sat on the floor.

"Oh, C.J.," Sam said as the two men sat on either side of her.

"I had just-just seen him Sam! We were going to-to meet for dr-drinks," she whimpered.

"They caught the guy so you two could..."

"Yeah," she added silently. "J-Josh is coming over, so-so, I don't know where to g-go."

"Stay here," Toby said.

C.J. wiped her tears as she held her head in her hands.

"I, don't know what to do, Toby. This is too much-" she said

"You can handle it, C.J. I know you can."

~~~~~

12:13 a.m.

C.J. collapsed in her hotel room as Toby and Sam sat on the couches.

"Guys, go get some rest," she said lying on top of the bed.

"No, C.J., we'll watch you."

"I'll be fine, really. You have done enough already. I'm next door anyway," she said.

Toby and Sam looked at each other as she nodded at them.

"I won't be able to fall asleep knowing you guys are going to be tired tomorrow because of me."

"Fine. But if anything happens-"

"I know, thanks."

Toby and Sam nodded as they walked out of her room.

"Josh should be here in 2 hours or so," Sam added before he left.

"Thanks Sam, now go get some rest," she added.

As Sam and Toby closed the door behind them, C.J. sat up in her bed. She reached for her purse and took out her prescription.

"It's going to be hard to sleep tonight," she said as she unscrewed the cap and swallowed two pills.

She took a drink of water, and then went to sleep in a corner of her bed.

~~~~

12:32 a.m.

Toby and Sam whispered quietly as they made their way to the President's room.

"Good evening sir," they said as they entered the room.

"Sam, Toby, how is she?"

Toby and Sam looked at each other for a moment.

"She'll be ok."

"She's asleep right now," Sam added.

Bartlet shook his head as he began to pace the room.

"The things fate does. A secret service agent walking in on a robbery..." he said before he shook his head once more.

"Sir, Josh is flying in tonight, he had talked to C.J. minutes after she was told."

"What did Josh say?"

"He said she was barely able to form sentences at the time, sir. He decided he would fly in...they're really close, sir."

"Yeah. Are we sure she's going to be fine?" Bartlet asked, no one had noticed Josh's behavior til months later.

"She should be, she was perfectly fine a few minutes ago."

"Ok."

~~~~

5:45 a.m.

C.J. woke up to the phone ringing and rubbed her head.

"What a dream..."

She picked up the phone.

"Good morning. This is a courtesy wake up call...."

"Thanks."

She rubbed her eyes and made her way to the bathroom. She washed her face and put in her contacts.

"What a horrible dream," she said one last time before she finally saw the sleeping form of Joshua Lyman on her bed.

"Oh, Josh," she said as it hit her that the dream...was true.

"C.J.," he stirred.

C.J. walked towards him as he stood, arms outstretched. She hugged him and then closed her eyes as she remembered last night.

"How'd the bill go," she said softly.

"It went fine, don't worry bout it."

He rocked her softly as they still stood there. A knock didn't change their positions as they heard Sam's voice.

"Come in," she answered.

Sam entered and saw the two friends and nodded somberly.

"I'm sorry CJ, but Ron Butterfield wanted to talk to you."

Josh heard CJ curse as he let her go.

"Alright."

She ushered the two men out, and changed slowly to procrastinate having to talk to Ron.

~~~

"Hello," she said as she saw Butterfield in front of her.

"C.J. Listen, I know these last hours have been tough, but...."

CJ knew there was a but in there somewhere.

"but we'd like you to write a eulogy for Simon."

CJ gasped softly as she closed her eyes standing in the hotel lobby.

"When is this due," she said softly.

"Next Wednesday."

"Alright. Alright thanks."

CJ nodded to him and with that walked away.

~~~~

Next Monday- Washington D.C.

"You know what they asked me to do," CJ told Josh, as she nursed her shot.

"What?"

"Write a eulogy," she laughed before she downed the entire shot in one drink.

Josh sat there as he watched her slowly shift in her stool.

"Can you do this? Stop drinking," he said softly as she nodded.

"No and fine. What do I write? About good and evil? About death? About choices? About what could've been? I'll have Sam write something."

"Simon deserves more than a piece from Sam. He would want you to write it."

"What would you know? You've never been in this situation. You've never been put into all this crap."

"And Joanie and Rosslyn? What was that, CJ? A walk in the park," he laughed before he downed CJ's remaining shot.

"I'm sorry, Joshua. I, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. I- you're right. I'll write it."

Josh furrowed his brow at the seriousness she was showing while being thoroughly intoxicated.

"Write about...about what he meant for you. Always over your shoulder. And that he's still there."

CJ nodded and smiled as she drank the drop left in the shot glass.

"Let's go home."

Josh chuckled at her while she gave him her purse to pay for it. He called a taxi and found her sitting outside on the bar steps in the soft late spring rain.

"Come on, CJ," he said laughing and helping her stand.

"I'm fine, Josh."

The two entered the cab a little later and kept the conversation quiet as they approached CJ's townhome.

"Come in, Josh. I know you and your liquor," she laughed while he hung their jackets.

"Maybe you should worry about yourself CJ. You did have 4 shots."

"That was like 3 hours ago, Josh."

She took out the ginger ale and poured 2 glasses as they sat on her couch.

"Thanks Josh."

"For what?"

"For everything. For being there when I needed you, for helping me through this week. For just- for being my best friend," she said as one solitary tear ran down her cheek.

"Don't cry CJ. You hurt me when you cry," he said wiping the tear.

CJ sniffled as his hand touched her face and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. The two sat there without speaking a word as Josh's head leaned and kissed her. CJ smiled as she reciprocated before Josh pulled away suddenly.

"CJ, you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk anymore."

He looked at her eyes wondering to believe her or not.

"Ok. CJ what am I?"

"A yankee elitist jackass."

He smiled as he kissed her once again.

~#*~#*~#*

Fin! For the follow up....see "Physical Attraction" all Feedback greatly appreciated!

 


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